I thawed the roast in the microwave and cut it into two pieces to be sure it thawed completely and would fit into the crockpot.  Then I heated the large pan to brown the meat in olive oil.  As usual, the stove and the floor in front of it glistened with the olive oil splatter before all sides of the the two pieces of beef were browned. 

I put the beef into the crock pot with some red wine and a packet of Onion soup mix and turned it on high.  Then I browned lots of onions and some garlic in the same pan and set it aside to put in the crock pot later. 

After a trip out to Bobo’s Drive-in and an enjoyable visit with the bearer of some chocolate (local source for chocolate is named Audrey), I got to the business of getting the veggies prepared and into the pot.  There were carrots, potatoes, some celery, the onions and garlic from earlier to be added.  After that had cooked a while, just for the heck of it, I tossed in a can of corn and a can of green beans.  I have trouble knowing when to stop when making these sorts of things.  I am of the school that says, whatever the ingredient, if some is good, more is better.  I have trouble with pots that seem consistently to be too small.  I did have enough sense to add a second packet of onion soup mix so that here would be enough seasoning to handle such a large quantity of food. 

The process began around noon.  The last of the veggies went in some time before 5pm.   It was about 7pm when we sat down to eat.   The potatoes still weren’t done.  Yes, I cut them into fairly small pieces so that they would cook more quickly. 

Needless to say, Mary Ann did not eat much of my culinary delight and needed a snack before bed (the usual little Snack Pack container of tapioca pudding).  The hallucinations are now interfering with her settling in and going to sleep.  It may be another long night.

By the way, I turned the crock pot on high after supper, and a couple of hours later it tasted great — to me.  I suspect Mary Ann will not be interested in trying it again.  That is our usual pattern. 

I guess it is a combination of laziness, lack of experience in cooking, and the disincentive of Mary Ann’s pretty narrow range of what is acceptable to her to eat that fuels my failure to launch in providing regular nourishing meals for Mary Ann.  Today is probably the first time in a week or so that I have attempted to do anything other than make sandwiches, take her out, give her what she brought back from the last time we went out, or eat the food that folks sometimes bring over or provide for us. 

I have to admit, that it continues to be a source of shame and embarrassment to me that I have not done better at fulfillling my Caregiving duties in the area of food preparation.  The food that I do prepare tastes good to me.  I love leftovers and eat as much as I can of what we have.  I  am over twenty pounds overweight — a lot for this five foot, six inch frame.  The freezer is full of food that I will eat and Mary Ann will not.  What I make is usually, as was so today, crammed full of veggies and all cooked together.  It is just not appetizing to her. 

Actually, I have no excuse for not doing a better job in this arena.  Our close friends in Kansas City include a husband caring for his wife with ALS.  Charlie does a great job of providing a variety of tasty and healthful meals.  I think Marlene would agree, other than that he doesn’t always listen to her instructions as he is cooking.  I am a reasonably intelligent person; I can read; I can (reluctantly) follow directions — as in recipes.  I have watched and enjoyed lots of cooking shows over the years.   There were Francois Pope (Chicago area), The Galloping Gourmet, The Frugal Gourmet, Justin Wilson — The Cajun Cook, Yan Can Cook, Lidia, plus all the recent and current Food Channel cooks.  You would think I might have absorbed something.  All I seem to have retained from all of it is a voracious appetite.  The cooking looks like fun, but the eating is funner!

Oh well, no one said it would be easy!  As long as there are Glory Day’s pizza by the slice, Long John Silver’s, Bobo’s, McFarland’s, The Classic Bean, Copper Oven, Perkin’s, Jersey Mike’s, New City Cafe, Panera’s, Steak and Shake, Subway (unless they keep showing that annoying commercial with the out of key singing), and a cluster of ice cream and frozen custard places, Mary Ann won’t starve (at least until we run out of money).   

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